This invention relates to aerial vehicles, and relates in particular to fast aircraft having movable tail systems. One of the problems associated with the design of fast flying aircraft with movable tails is to find out suitable arrangments for the tail unit machinery which could favourably be packaged in the aircraft in addition to bulky propulsion systems and the remaining equipment. Since said propulsion systems together with big tank capacities are necessary for the high flight speeds to be obtained, the movable tail units must do with the remaining space, irrespective of the fact that they should be of light weight, not expensive, and reliably operating. And here begins the problem, because people skilled in the art know that it is already a bold attempt to package a voluminous propulsion system, retractable undercarriage, and other equipment, and that an additional accommodation of a movable tail system requires detailed space considerations connected with a very careful formation of parts. Thus it is less useful that submitted proposals -- as sometimes observed -- depend upon general ideas only. An opposite way of doing things would be more desirable, which is at the movable tail system:
TO PROJECT ITS AGGREGATES AROUND THE PROPULSION SYSTEM, CONSIDERING THE REAL DIMENSIONS OF THEM, AND
TO CONCEIVE ALL ENGAGED PARTS AND THEIR TECHNICAL DETAILS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ACTUALLY AVAILABLE SPACE AND IN LINE WITH THE REQUIRED FUNCTION,
If the proposed system should be appropriate for realization.
A method of improving the movable horizontal tail, as contemplated by the present invention, involves two sturdy rear wing-cantilevers with fixed vertical tails, and a bulky propulsion system positioned between them. The external side walls of said cantilevers embody rails on which two horizontal tail halves are moved rearwards and forwards. In the forward high-speed flight position the profile noses of the horizontal tail halves are accommodated inside of hollow trailing edges of the middle wings, and the landing flaps are lying flat below the horizontal tail halves. In this tail position the fixed wings, horizontal tails halves, and landing flaps are together forming compact supersonic air foil profiles without any lateral groove, which gives a minimum of supersonic impact wave resistance with a corresponding reduction in fuel consumption during high-speed flight. For low-speed flight the two horizontal tail halves are rolled rearwards and are laterally angularly moved down, forming near the aft ends of said rear wing-cantilevers a two-piece tail with an inverted V-shape, that acts as the horizontal tail.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved shifting horizontal tail for supersonic aircraft with bulky propulsion systems.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved shifting horizontal tail with a favourable arrangement of its aggregates within the aircraft structure.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved shifting horizontal tail with a minimum of supersonic impact wave resistance and with a reduced fuel consumption during high-speed flight.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved shifting horizontal tail increasing the lift of the aircraft during low-speed flight.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved shifting horizontal tail increasing the low-speed flight bad weather stability and control of the aircraft.
According to the present invention, the foregoing and other objects are attained by providing a shifting horizontal tail consisting of two independent tail halves, which are movably connected with two independent rear wing-cantilevers. The cantilevers are parts of an aircraft comprising fixed wings with slats, ailerons, landing flaps etc., a fuselage with two lateral engine intake tunnels, a bulky propulsion system, that for instance consist of two powerful jet engines, positioned between said rear wing-cantilevers, and two vertical tails on the aft ends of said cantilevers. The two horizontal tail halves are fastened to two chassis, and form with said chassis two angular monocoque constructions. The tail chassis carry trolleys with rollers which are engaging rails embodied in the external side walls of the rear wing-centilevers. For low-speed flight the two horizontal tail halves are rolled rearwards with simultaneous helical motions resulting in downward motions of both tail tips, and are forming in the rearward position a two-piece tail acting as the horizontal tail and having an inverted V-shape. For high-speed flight the two tail halves are rolled forwards with simultaneous helical motions resulting in upward motions of both tail tips, until the planes of the two tail halves substantially horizontally adjust to the planes of said wings, and the profile noses of the horizontal tail halves intrude into the hollow trailing edges of the wings.
Irrespective of the tail positions, the propulsion system at all times has an unobstructed discharge way between the rear wing-cantilevers.